Sen. Ted Ferrioli has received a lot of heat for standing up for his constituents that are in the food-producing business. It is obvious that those condemning him don't have the same problems that we in rural Eastern Oregon experience.

I understand his frustration. Our American dollars are directed to many foreign countries that in fact don't support us. This is also a frustration.

Food safety today is a huge buzzword. Many of the people that Ferrioli represents are in the business of producing safe food. Between the rules and regulations, and the predators, it is becoming more difficult to produce the food consumed not only by Oregonians and Americans, but by other nations.

Ranchers and farmers produce safe food; they protect open spaces. When they can no longer produce the food and still maintain their livelihood, then it behooves them to develop the land for other purposes. The public doesn't seem to want that, yet at every turn they seem to be supporting removing food producers from the land. They can't have it both ways.